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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29686392">a little pick me up</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/minaasshido/pseuds/minaasshido'>minaasshido</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>six idiots and their skateboards [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SK8 the Infinity (Anime)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Simply Does Not Exist, Chinen Miya Being a Little Shit, Chinen Miya Needs a Hug, Chinen Miya is Bad at Feelings, Fluff, Happy Ending, Higa Hiromi | Shadow is the Mom Friend, Kyan Reki is a Good Friend, Kyan Reki is a Ray of Sunshine, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Reki acts like Miya's big brother, So I gave him some, Texting, at least for reki and langa, ft. me pushing my agenda of miya's potty mouth on the fandom, he drives everyone around in his little van pls its so cute, i will not stop, miya is lonely and deserves good friends, miya plays minecraft pass it on, my tags are so out of order im sorry, no beta we die like cherry at the end of ep 9, so is langa, sort of found family?, they're literally just vibing, they're trying though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:41:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,699</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29686392</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/minaasshido/pseuds/minaasshido</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Miya raises an eyebrow, but he isn't stupid enough to mention it. "I don't need my classmates seeing me with a bunch of slimes like you!"</p><p>"Isn't everyone a slime to you?" Langa asks, infuriatingly earnest.</p><p>"Yeah!" Reki agrees. "Anyways, I thought I was a golem now!" Miya kicks him in the shin. It isn't even that hard- not hard enough to bruise, at least, but Reki clutches his leg and hops on one foot all the same.</p><p>(In which Miya learns about the power of friendship)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chinen Miya &amp; Kyan Reki, Hasegawa Langa/Kyan Reki, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>six idiots and their skateboards [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2207952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1175</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a little pick me up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miya packs up his bag when the bell rings. His classmates are chattering around him, loud and excited, talking about the latest gossip and what they'll be doing this weekend and have you read the latest chapter of that manga? He doesn't pay them any mind, instead weaving in between the desks so that he's one of the first people in the hallway. He makes a beeline for his locker.</p><p>He switches out his books and grabs his sweater, alone.</p><p>He walks down the stairs and opens the front doors, alone.</p><p>He walks across the courtyard. Alone.</p><p>It really shouldn't bother him as much as it does. He doesn't <i>need</i> them, a fact that his classmates seem to be so sure of. He's above them, thinks he's to good for them, he had left them all behind in the dust as soon as he started being recognized by the bigshots at the skate park. That's what everyone says, at least. Miya knows he's better than them, because none of them have even a fraction of his talent when it comes to skateboarding, but he also knows that just because <i>that's</i> true, it doesn't mean he'd wanted to leave his friends behind regardless. No, they'd come to that conclusion all on their own. They'd become cold and jealous and started avoiding him, and Miya was hurt but for some reason had never bothered to correct them. </p><p>Well. If they cowed so easily in the face of success, then Miya didn't really need them anyway. That's what he tells himself, at least. </p><p>He's nearly off school grounds, which are starting to fill with his classmates, when he hears someone call his name. At first, he thinks he's misheard, but then- no, there it is again. He looks over his shoulder. </p><p>"MIYA!" yells a voice and oh, gods, that's Reki. Miya realizes with a start that Langa is next to him, leaning against a car that is definitely Shadow's, parked right outside the school gates. </p><p>"MI-YAAA!" Reki calls again, and Miya watches in horror as the students outside turn their heads toward the commotion. He feels his face grow hot as he grips the straps of his backpack in his fists, storming over to the older boys. </p><p>Reki perks up when he notices, waving enthusiastically. Langa raises his hand, greeting far more muted than his red-haired counterpart, but he can see it's genuine nonetheless. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he hisses. He can feel the stares of his classmates digging into his back.</p><p>"We're here to pick you up!" Reki says, grinning. "Langa's helping me with my skating."</p><p>Miya raises an eyebrow at the role reversal, but he isn't stupid enough to mention it. "I don't need my classmates seeing me with a bunch of slimes like you!" </p><p>"Isn't everyone a slime to you?" Langa asks, infuriatingly earnest. </p><p>"Yeah!" Reki agrees. "Anyways, I thought I was a golem now!" Miya kicks him in the shin. It isn't even that hard- not hard enough to bruise, at least, but Reki clutches his leg and hops on one foot all the same. "Ow ow ow! What the hell, Miya?" Miya ignores the whispers behind him with practiced ease, but he can see Langa's attention focused on the courtyard behind him, a small crease in his brow. </p><p>Miya rolls his eyes. "You're all idiots," he huffs, but he stomps over to the car anyway, yanking open the passenger door and throwing himself inside. "Hey, Shadow." He slips off his backpack and sets it by his feet. </p><p>"They forced me to do this," Shadow says. He's clearly trying to seem pissed about it, but he's failing spectacularly. </p><p>"Uh huh." Miya doesn't even pretend to believe him.</p><p>"I'm not a taxi service."</p><p>"Uh huh." </p><p>Reki and Langa tumble into the back. "Why does the twelve year old get the front seat?" Reki whines. </p><p>Miya turns around to shoot him a glare. "Because I'm actually fucking tolerable," he says. "And I'm <i>fourteen,</i> asshole, I'm not that much younger than you."</p><p>"Three years is a big difference when you're teenagers!" Reki points out. "And I take offense to that. I'm plenty tolerable! I'm a delight to be around, right Langa?"</p><p>Langa jolts and looks away from where he's been staring out of the window. "Huh?" </p><p>"Langa!" Reki cries, "Weren't you listening?"</p><p>"Sorry, no."</p><p>Miya cackles as Reki pouts dramatically. "Just drive, Shadow."</p><p>* * * * *</p><p>They end up at the skate park closest to Reki's house. Miya and Shadow are sitting back by one of the guardrails, watching as Langa demonstrates one of the tricks he'd picked up from Adam. Reki is staring at him with a mixture of jealousy and awe, clutching his own board tight. </p><p>"I can't believe you guys are making me do this," Shadow complains loudly. Reki's head twitches a little like he'd heard, but his attention stays on Langa.</p><p>Miya raises an eyebrow. "You could have just dropped us off. It's not like we needed you to stay."</p><p>Shadow crosses his arms with a <i>hmpf.</i> "Like they wouldn't call me right back to drive you all home anyway"</p><p>"None of us have your number," Miya reminds him, smug. Shadow scowls at him. He gets a shit-eating grin in return. </p><p>"Langa!" Reki's voice carries over, "can I try it on your board?"</p><p>"Sure," Langa says, kicking his board up and handing it to his friend. Reki positions it on the ground in front of him, setting his foot down on top of it. He pushes it back and forth for a moment. "Make sure you have enough momentum."</p><p>"I know how to skate!" Reki shoots back. He kicks off with his left leg. As soon as his foot leaves the ground, the skateboard swivels dangerously, turning sideways and throwing Reki right on his ass. </p><p>Langa blinks at the scene. "Ah," he says regretfully.</p><p>Miya rolls his eyes, but he can't help but smirk into his hand with a laugh. "Idiots," he says. </p><p>"Hey, I heard that!" Reki says. He's still on the ground, knees bent and legs crossed like a child. "If you're so smart, you come and show me how to do it on a real board!"</p><p>He's being baited, but Miya can't help the way he jumps up anyway, narrowing his eyes at the red haired boy. "Maybe I will!" he threatens. "Langa, do the trick on your freak board again."</p><p>Langa demonstrates, and Miya sets up his own board to copy the movement. "You're trying to copy the way he does it exactly," Miya tells Reki. He hovers with his foot poised above his board as he explains, not quite doing the trick yet. "But your boards are different. You can't move around the same way he does, so you have to figure out how it translates before you can get it right." He does the trick himself, feet leaving the ground as his board does a complicated series of twists before landing again. </p><p>"Woah!" Reki stares at his board with wide eyes. Miya tries not to look too smug.</p><p>"Well, it really isn't that hard," he says. He thinks Reki might deflate just a little bit so he adds on, "Once you're used to it." </p><p>"I'm gonna get it in no time," Reki promises. There's a determined fire in his eyes that had been missing lately, and though he'd never say it out loud, Miya is glad that it's back. Reki wasn't Reki when he was sulking- it was just wrong. </p><p>"Prove it," Miya goads him on, smirking, because he can't afford to be <i>too</i> nice, otherwise people might start thinking he's soft. Which he isn't. </p><p>Reki just grins back at him, wicked and full of intent. "I will," he says, and Miya believes him. </p><p>Langa and Reki skate around some more as the afternoon drags on. Miya plays a game on his phone to pass the time, pretending his doesn't notice Shadow watching over his shoulder the entire time. After a while, though, the sun starts getting lower and the beginnings of dusk are darkening the sky, so Reki suggests that they go bother (his words) Joe and Cherry.</p><p>"We don't even know where they are," Miya tells him, tucking away his phone.</p><p>"Yeah we do!" Reki wags a finger at him. "Joe's at his restaurant, which means Cherry is there too!"</p><p>Miya raises an eyebrow. "Cherry isn't with Joe twenty-four-seven."</p><p>Reki blinks at him. "Isn't he?"</p><p>Langa nods in agreement. "I don't think I've ever seen one without the other," he says, and, huh. Now that they're mentioning it, Miya can only ever recall seeing the two men in each other's company. </p><p>Despite this, he refuses to acknowledge that Reki might be right. So he just says, "So, what? Are we going to the restaurant and hoping Joe's there?"</p><p>"Yeah?" says Reki, like it's obvious. </p><p>They all look to Shadow, who groans. "I'm not a taxi service!" he complains, but he's pulling out his car keys anyway. </p><p>The ride to the restaurant is short, and Reki shoots Miya a smug look when they walk inside to the scene of Joe talking to none other than Cherry, who is seated at the counter. Miya flips him off.</p><p>Joe looks up at them as the bell above the door rings, and he frowns. "What are you doing here?" he says.</p><p>"Can we not just want to say hello?" Reki pouts.</p><p>Joe just gives him a deadpan stare. "I'm not giving you free food." Reki opens his mouth to protest but Joe cuts him off, pointing an accusatory finger in their direction. "If I did that every time you showed up here, I'd go broke!"</p><p>"You give Cherry free food all the time," Langa observes, "And he's here all the time."</p><p>Miya nearly explodes trying to hold in his laughter- Langa truly is a treat. He says all the things that Miya thinks, except nobody is allowed to get angry with him for saying them because while Miya might be trying to push buttons, Langa is just pointing out the obvious. He's annoyingly earnest and a little blunt, but hell if it isn't at least entertaining. </p><p>Joe sputters indignantly, turning red, while Cherry half-turns in his seat to look at them, lips pursed. "That's neither here nor there," he tells them, and Miya smirks in the man's direction. </p><p>He makes his way over to the counter himself, hopping up on the stool next to Cherry, pulling a wad of crumpled bills from his pocket. "Whatever the special is, I want it."</p><p>Joe looks at him expectantly for a moment. "What's the magic word?"</p><p>Miya smiles up at him. "Motherfucker."</p><p>"Jesus," Joe says, but he's taking the money and turning to put it in the register. "I'm never gonna get used to that."</p><p>"Sucks," Miya says. "I can do it more if that would help. Like exposure therapy."</p><p>"No, please don't."</p><p>Shadow moves to take the free seat on Miya's other side. Cherry spares him a glance. "Are you going to S tonight?" he asks.</p><p>"Yeah," says Shadow. "Adam plays dirty, but I think he forgets that he's not the only one."</p><p>Langa and Reki share a meaningful look. "Not tonight," Langa says. Cherry's surprise is written all of his face, so he elaborates. "We're taking a break until after the tournament."</p><p>Cherry looks thoughtful as his gaze moves between Reki and Langa. "Alright then," is what he says. "I look forward to your return."</p><p>Reki, Miya thinks, has never looked happier.</p><p>* * * * * </p><p>The next day, Miya overhears some of his classmates talking about him. A lot of people in his grade had seen him leave with Reki and Langa, and while curiosity was probably inevitable, that doesn't mean it isn't also annoying. </p><p>"Did you see that Miya's friends with a couple of older guys?" they say. "One of them can <i>drive</i>."</p><p>Someone else replies with, "Come on, Miya doesn't have friends," and Miya sinks in his chair, wishing that his desk would just swallow him up. </p><p>"Well who were they then?"</p><p>"Probably some skateboard groupies or something. He seems like the type to keep his fans around for an ego boost."</p><p>Miya wants to snap at them, tell them to shut up, that he isn't even like that. Just because he knows he has talent doesn't mean he's full of himself. They don't know anything about him. They can take their assumptions and shove them up their asses.</p><p>He stays quiet.</p><p>When the bell rings he packs his bag and walks out. He digs his phone out of his pocket, reaching for his earbuds, when he notices that he has a text message. He's surprised to see that it's from Shadow, of all people, whose contact info he hadn't know he was in possession of.</p><p><b>Shadow:</b> Reki wants me to tell you that he's coming to your school to pick you up</p><p><b>Me:</b> how tf did ur number get in my phone<br/>
<b>Me:</b> and why</p><p><b>Shadow:</b> You said you didn't have my number<br/>
<b>Shadow:</b> So now you have it<br/>
<b>Shadow:</b> Also I'm not going to pretend to know what goes on in Reki's head, I just nod and smile</p><p><b>Me:</b> did u fkn steal my phone when i wasnt looking just to put ur # in<br/>
<b>Me:</b> and stfu when do u ever smile</p><p><b>Shadow:</b> I SMILE<br/>
<b>Shadow:</b> What happens if I say yes</p><p><b>Me:</b> im going to show up at ur work and call u shadow in front of ur coworker crush</p><p><b>Shadow:</b> Then no I did not do that</p><p>Miya snorts at that. He walks through the front doors into the courtyard and leans against the side of the building.</p><p><b>Me:</b> do u have rekis #</p><p><b>Shadow:</b> <i>Contact Info Attached</i></p><p>Miya clicks on the attachment and adds Reki as a contact before sending him a quick message.</p><p><b>Me:</b> i hate u</p><p><b>Reki:</b> omg miya!!!!<br/>
<b>Reki:</b> im almost at your school by the way!!!<br/>
<b>Reki:</b> WAIT omg hold on</p><p>
  <b>Reki has added you and 2 others to the group!</b><br/>
<b>Reki has named the group best friends!</b>
</p><p><b>Reki:</b> guys i got miyas phone number now we can all chat together!!!!</p><p><b>Shadow:</b> Is that supposed to be a good thing?</p><p><b>Unknown:</b> Cool</p><p><b>Me:</b> who's the other person</p><p><b>Reki:</b> its langa!!!<br/>
<b>Reki:</b> also i see you!!!!!</p><p>Looking up, Miya scans the courtyard. It doesn't take him long to spot Reki's wild red hair bobbing up and down above the rest of his classmate's heads. He sighs and tucks his phone away in his pocket. </p><p>"Miya, hey!" Reki grins. He jogs over, sliding into him as he throws an arm around his shoulders. "What's up?"</p><p>Miya almost shrugs him off, but then he thinks of his classmates and decides against it. Instead he just shrinks away ever so slightly, making a face. "Well currently I'm wondering why you're picking me up from school for the second day in a row."</p><p>"Me and Langa are gonna hang out by the skate park again! You should come with!"</p><p>Miya fixes him with a deadpan expression, ignoring the warmth in his chest at the invitation. "Why."</p><p>Reki cocks his head to the side. "Uh, because you're our friend and we want you there?" The blunt statement takes Miya by surprise and he flinches like he's been hit. Reki peers down at him in concern. "Dude, you okay?"</p><p>"I'm fine," Miya says. He glances around, sees a few of his classmates eyeing the two of them and leaning together, whispering. He wonders if they'd heard Reki's declaration of friendship. He hopes they had. Maybe, for once, the rumors being spread about him would be nice ones. And also actually be true. "And uh, sure. I'll go. Or whatever."</p><p>"Awesome!" Reki cheers. "Hey, do you have Joe or Cherry's numbers? I wanna add them to the group chat."</p><p>"What makes you think they would ever want that?"</p><p>Reki pulls an exaggerated pout. "So mean, Miya! Because they're our friends too!"</p><p>"They're like, thirty."</p><p>"Hm." Reki seems to think about it for a moment. "They're kinda more like cool uncles, aren't they?"</p><p>Miya shrugs. "I guess." Honestly, the comparison was sort of fitting. "Gay uncles."</p><p>Reki barks out a laugh as he pulls out his phone, typing something into the groupchat. Miya feels his own phone buzz in his pocket, but he elects to just read over Reki's shoulder instead. </p><p><b>Reki:</b> does anyone have the gay uncles contact info i wanna add them</p><p><b>Langa ❤️:</b> ?</p><p>Miya raises an eyebrow at the heart after Langa's name, but he doesn't mention it. </p><p><b>Reki:</b> joe and cherry duh!!!!!</p><p>"You use way too many exclamation marks," Miya tells him. "You're like a big puppy."</p><p>"I have golden retriever energy," Reki says proudly. "I'm taking that as a compliment."</p><p>Miya's phone buzzes in his pocket again, and this time he actually does take it out. </p><p>
  <b>Langa has added a member to the group!</b>
</p><p><b>Unknown:</b> What is this.</p><p><b>Langa:</b> Reki made a group chat<br/>
<b>Langa:</b> Can you add Joe? I don't have his number</p><p><b>Cherry:</b> Lord have mercy.</p><p>
  <b>Cherry has added a member to the group!</b>
</p><p><b>Joe:</b> HELLO</p><p><b>Reki:</b> langa no way!!!!!! how come you had cherrys number!!!!</p><p><b>Cherry:</b> He earned it by being somewhat more tolerable than the rest of you. </p><p><b>Me:</b> i take offense 2 that fuck u</p><p>
  <b>You have named the group chat 4 slimes, a villager and Miya!</b>
</p><p>Reki turns to look at him. "A villager?" he asks. "Who's that?"</p><p>Miya kicks at him, clipping the back of his leg with his toes. "You, dumbass."</p><p>"What!" Reki yelps, and then he jumps up and down, whooping. "I got promoted again! Hell yeah! Wait, what did I even do to get promoted?"</p><p><i>You called me a friend in front of my asshole classmates,</i> he wants to say. Instead, he says, "Don't make a big deal out of it or I'll demote you."</p><p>Reki smiles, bright as the sun. He turns back to his phone and Miya looks away to hide the red flooding his cheeks, embarrassed. </p><p><b>Reki:</b> HELL YEAH I GOT PROMOTED AGAIN!!!!!!!!</p><p><b>Joe:</b> Miya are your rankings based on minecraft mobs??</p><p><b>Me:</b> ...no</p><p><b>Reki:</b> ASHJKASFKJS THEY TOTALLY ARE</p><p><b>Me:</b> ur on thin ice asshole i can and will demote u</p><p>"Will you still demote me if I give you the code to join my Minecraft server?" Reki asks. </p><p>Miya considers it. "Probably not."</p><p>Reki grins.</p><p>* * * * *</p><p>The worst part about his classmates not liking him is that none of them actually bully him. They don't go out of their way to be mean or to insult him. They don't throw things at him or trip him in the halls. They just ignore him.</p><p>Ironically, he thinks that might hurt more than being shoved around.</p><p>So when one of them actually approaches him during lunch, he has no fucking clue how to react. He just sort of stares at the guy, eyes wide and floundering. </p><p>"So are those guys really your friends?" he asks. He doesn't need to explain who he's talking about because it's obvious. </p><p>Miya blinks at him, and now he <i>does</i> know how to react. "Yes," he says, annoyed.</p><p>The guy makes a face at his sharp tone, but when he speaks he sounds oddly sincere. "I just didn't think you even wanted any friends. Like, you think you're above that or whatever."</p><p>Miya's fists clench at his sides. "When the fuck did I ever say that?" he hisses. </p><p>He watches the guy's brow furrow like he doesn't understand. "Huh?"</p><p>"You all just assumed," Miya tells him, "that I didn't want to talk to you. You made up rumors about how cold I am and then believed your own lies. That's not on me."</p><p>The guy opens his mouth like he's going to retort, closes it, and then opens it again. "You could've reached out," he says, but he sounds less confident. </p><p>Miya delivers the finishing blow. "Would any of you have let me?"</p><p>The other boy doesn't say anything for a little while, so Miya just goes back to his bento and tries to ignore his presence. He can feel him staring, though, so it's awkward. He chews on his rice and his movements feel clunky and wrong. When he looks back up, the guy is still there. He looks like he's thinking really hard about something.</p><p>Just as he swallows, the other boy's eyes fall to the ground and he rocks back on his heels. "I'm sorry, then," he says. Miya's jaw drops. "That we did that. I didn't know." He bows- not very deep, but noticeable enough that it catches the attention of some of the nearby students. He can hear a few whispers, but not what they're saying. "Please accept my apology."</p><p>Miya just gapes at him, not knowing what to do. "Uh," he says, and his tongue feels heavy in his mouth. He's so surprised that he can't come up with a snarky comment or a joke or anything. "Sure." He's pretty sure he's dreaming.</p><p>The boy straightens back up and gives him an awkward smile. "Thank you," he says. Someone calls his name across the courtyard and he turns, waving to whoever it is and running off toward them. Miya watches as he meets up with his friend and they exchange a few words- the other one gestures back towards the school and pats him on the back. The boy nods and turns back to walk back inside, but as he reaches the doors he looks over his shoulder and waves shyly in Miya's general direction.</p><p>Miya just stares.</p><p>* * * * *</p><p>Cherry and Joe find him in the crowds at S. They've got a beef planned, although it doesn't really deserve to be called a beef because they're shoving at each other like children, smirking and throwing playground insults as they approach. "I'm supposed to be the kid here," Miya tells them flatly. "This is slime behavior."</p><p>"Slime doesn't seem like as much of an insult anymore now that we all know you're really just a giant nerd," Joe says back, and Cherry rolls his eyes. </p><p>"Are you skating tonight?" he asks. </p><p>Miya shrugs. "Maybe." He puts one end of his board against the ground and spins it in place. "I don't have any beefs so I'll probably just fuck around on the track after competitions are done."</p><p>Cherry hums. "You should come by the restaurant tomorrow. Joe's testing out a new recipe and my opinion can be rather biased. It's on the house."</p><p>"Don't go offering people free food at <i>my</i> restaurant!" Joe cries.</p><p>Cherry narrows his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "You can afford to treat him once."</p><p>"Can I bring Reki?" Miya asks. </p><p>This earns him a raised eyebrow from Cherry and a groan from Joe. "He's a bottomless pit," Joe whines, but he doesn't say no. </p><p>"He'll also annoy the shit out of me if he finds out I took advantage of free food and didn't bring him along," Miya tells the man.</p><p>"Oh, and he'll probably bring Langa," Joe laments. "And at that point it'll probably be in the group chat, and then Shadow..."</p><p>Miya smirks. "Sucks to suck."</p><p>Joe sighs long and loud, and Cherry pats him on the back in sympathy. "Kids these days," he says.</p><p>Someone calls for the next beef and Joe perks up. "Hey, Kaoru," he says. "If I win, you have to kiss me."</p><p>Cherry rolls his eyes. "And if I win?"</p><p>"You won't," Joe tells him. "But if by some miracle you manage to beat me, then <i>I</i> have to kiss <i>you</i>."</p><p>"Idiot," Cherry says, but he sounds fond. "That's the same result either way."</p><p>Joe winks at him. "I know," he says, grabbing his board and stalking off towards the starting line. Miya pretends to gag. </p><p>"You guys are gross!" he teases. </p><p>"Oh, we're disgusting!" Joe calls over his shoulder. "Come on, Cherry! Let's get this over with so I can win!"</p><p>Cherry ends up winning, and he looks smug as Joe pulls him in and presses their lips together. Joe doesn't look like he minds the loss in the slightest.</p><p>* * * * *</p><p>When the bell rings for lunch, Miya starts packing up his things. He's only just zipping up his pencil case when he sees someone stop next to his desk in his peripheral vision. When he looks over, he recognizes the boy from the day before. </p><p>"Hey! I realized yesterday that I never told you my name," he says, and his smile is wider than it was before. "I'm Saito Ichima!" </p><p>Miya blinks up at him. There's no point in saying his name because the other boy already know it. He says, "Okay..?" and then promptly winces at the awkwardness of it.</p><p>Saito either doesn't notice or doesn't mind it. "You usually eat lunch in the courtyard, right?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah."</p><p>"I usually eat with my friends over in class 3-E," he continues. "Do you wanna join us?"</p><p>It takes a few moments for Miya's brain to process what he'd just been asked. His lips part involuntarily as he tries to make sense of it. "Um," he starts, and then his voice gives out. He's not sure what's happening.</p><p>Saito lifts a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "I mean, it's okay if you don't! I just thought I'd offer. We all feel like pretty big jerks for treating you like we did."</p><p>"No, I, uh-" Miya's floundering as he tries to get the words out. "I mean yes. Yeah. Sure." Why the hell is this so awkward? "I'll sit with you, I guess."</p><p>"Awesome!" Saito grins at him, big and bright, and he's briefly reminded of Reki. The other boy takes a step back so that Miya can stand up, gesturing for him to follow as he starts to make his way toward the door. Miya notices a few people staring as they go along.</p><p>It's easier than ever to ignore them.</p><p>Saito brings him to 3-E and introduces him to his friends, and they greet him with smiles and ask what's in his bento and pull him into the conversation like he's always been a part of it. It's so much all at once and Miya's head spins as he tries to get used to it. He feels like he's just been thrown into the deep end of a pool and he doesn't yet know how to swim. </p><p>The others don't seem to mind that he's quiet, but when his phone buzzes in his pocket he still jumps at the opportunity for a distraction and pulls it out. </p><p>
  <b>4 slimes, a villager and Miya</b>
</p><p><b>Joe:</b> are you all coming to the restaurant after school lets out?</p><p>The chat pings with a few more messages of people saying that yes, they will be there, and was Joe really serious about the free food? Miya smirks down at his phone as Reki asks if there's a limit to how much food he's allowed to eat. Joe sends back the crying emoji. </p><p>Someone pokes at his shoulder and Miya glances up to see Saito looking at him with a hesitant smile. "You okay?" he asks. "It isn't too much, is it?"</p><p>"I'm fine," Miya tells him, and now that he's been able to take a deep breath, he doesn't even think he's lying. "I'm just... not really used to this."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Saito says again. </p><p>Miya waves him off, because he doesn't want things to get emotional. "It's whatever," he says, and Saito looks relieved. He seems to decide that Miya will join the conversation when he wants to so he turns back to respond to a comment one of the other boys had made. Miya watches him closely- the way he throws his head back when he laughs, the way he presses his hand against his friend's shoulder, the way he catches Miya looking at him and sends him a private little smile. It makes something warm and fuzzy wriggle around in his chest, and Miya realizes with a start that he's happy. He's at school and people aren't ignoring him and he's happy.</p><p>He looks down at his phone again and types out a new message.</p><p><b>Me:</b> actually can i bring one extra person??</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I LOVE MIYA SO MUCH AND IT MAKES ME SAD THAT HE CANONICALLY HAS NO FRIENDS HIS AGE AND IS LONELY SO I DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!! ALSO UHHH I GUESS THIS IS A SERIES NOW</p></blockquote></div></div>
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